I just got a paint horse recently, but it has gone through several transfers between the breeder and last listed owner, and last listed owner and me. The APHA won't give me anything but the P.O. Box they listed when they became a member and when I called the post office in their town they said that they had moved several years back and their forwarding address was deleted automatically by the computer after one year and that they couldn't tell me anything else. I called the APHA and they said that I had to send a certified letter to the address even if I knew that they had moved to prove that I had tried to get in touch with them and to then call back and they would transfer me to the people who could help me further. I sent it last saturday and the post office said they would mail it and hold it 15 days before returning it to me. I was reading up on the APHA site and what they are wanting me to do is an indemnity transfer. I try to contact the last known owner by mail and if I don't hear back, I provide proof (certified letter unsigned) that I tried to contact them, then they try to contact them and every owner between them and me. It's going to cost $35 for a years membership fee an $75 for the indemnity transfer. There was also something saying that if they contact an owner between the last known owner and me who makes a big fuss then it has to go to court. That doesn't seem like it would be a problem to me if the next owners can show how it was purchased, but worrisome. However, the APHA said that they don't contact people by their numbers so I'm hoping that they will just try to send a letter to the last known owners and when they can't contact them, they will just transfer him into my name, but I don't know. Any input or similar stories will help. Thanks.
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